The teen victim of a masked rapist is today still struggling to come to terms with the horror attack.

It has now been two weeks since the 16-year-old was grabbed by a balaclava-clad predator as she made her way home after a night out with friends.

And as police continue to hunt the vile attacker, his victim’s mum has told ChronicleLive of her daughter’s ongoing pain.

The 37-year-old said: “She’s had a couple of really bad days. I think it’s just hit her what’s happened. I just wish it was me and not her. I wish I could take it all away from her.”

The victim had been out with her boyfriend and other pals on Friday May 27 to mark the first day of the school holidays before she was attacked.

The teen said goodbye to her boyfriend on the waggonway between Lemington and the Dumpling Hall estate, and was trying to catch-up with a friend who had walked ahead when the masked fiend pounced.

The stranger, who was wearing dark clothes and a balaclava, raped her before disappearing into the night.

After the attack the hysterical victim phoned her mum, who raced to the scene, where she found her daughter huddled on the path cradling her knees.

“It was the worst moment of my life, it was just horrible,” the mum said. “I still feel physically sick. I will never forget that image of her cradling herself on the pavement. It’s not something I’ll ever get over, because she’s my baby.”

The mum told the Chronicle that her daughter has not spoken about the attack since it happened, and she is hoping that counselling sessions will help her deal with the trauma.

“At the moment she’s not opened up to me about exactly what’s happened and I haven’t touched on the subject,” she said. “It’s hard because she usually tells me everything. I think she will need counselling. I want to make sure she gets the best help possible.

“We are all struggling to come to terms with it. I am going to have counselling myself. The stronger I am the more I will be able to support her.”

The girl victim had not intended to be on the secluded path alone, on the night she was attacked.

The teen had said goodbye to her boyfriend believing her friend was waiting for her ahead. And she had only walked around 10 steps alone when the attacker struck.

The mum added: “She’s quite an outgoing girl. She’s not badly behaved or anything. She’s very streetwise; she never walks that way alone. I think it’s just been miscommunication that she’s ended up alone. But it only takes a second.”

Meanwhile police patrols remain high in the area as the attacker remains at large.

And officers are asking local residents to check home CCTV systems to see if they may have caught images of the rapist.

Northumbria Police’s Neighbourhood Inspector for the area, Alan Pitchford, said officers were determined to make an arrest.

“It has been two weeks since this awful incident happened and our enquiries remain ongoing,” he said.

“We continue to have officers carrying out extra patrols in Lemington and in particular down in ‘the lines’ area. They have been reassuring the local community and speaking to residents, and this will carry on into the coming weeks.

“The incident has had a significant impact on the community and I know local people are as keen as we are to find who did this and see them arrested.”

Scene of a rape on the waggon way off Dumpling Hall in Lemington

And the inspector is also once again asking the public for help.

“I’d urge anyone with any information to contact us and help us catch this person,” he continued. “Anyone who has heard or seen anything suspicious in the weeks since the incident happened - people talk and may know things but haven’t reported them to police, this type of information could be key and I would urge anyone who thinks they could help to come forward straight away. “Anyone who thinks they could help is asked to call 101. If someone wants to remain anonymous they can ring the independent charity Crimestoppers and they don’t have to give their name or details - just pass the information on.”

“We have detectives continuing to check CCTV cameras in the area where the offence happened, and also from across the wider area, and would urge anyone who has their own personal CCTV systems to check them and see if they captured anything of note on Friday May 27.”

Insp Pritchard has praised the victim for her bravery, and the local community for its response.

He added: “The victim has shown incredible bravery since this happened and we are continuing to support her and her family at this difficult time.

“The public response has been really positive. I’d like to thank them for the support shown to our officers in the area and ask they continue to work with us and help us get the person responsible for this arrested and off our streets.”

Anyone with any information about the attack is asked to call Northumbria Police on 101 quoting reference number 1430 27/05/16.

Alternatively you can phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.